Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-13


isn't she beautiful, Godfrey"
''Very beautiful
Let me take you over and introduce
YOU She is attractive in mind as in
person; you will he charmed with her. "
IL would rather fall under no spell,
my sweet cousin, so permit me to re-
tire unclaimed. am not the sort of
man Your friend would care to waste
ten minutes on. charitable though she
might he towards all of my short
comings. Unjust 90 now; you will not
mind, will you?'
'Of course I'll mind. Why, the sup
per won't be served for an hour yet.
You must, at least, remain until after
supper"
Godfrey Lamer looked down at his
cousins pretty pouting face, then
from t to the face of his cousins guest
and friend.
Alight with mirth fair as flower,
was the face he looked on.
My dear cousin" he said gravely to
Mercy Lamer, "this is your ball, and
the first at which | have appeared in
three years. If | remain longer, a
little child on whom ! said ! would
look in at midnight, may die before
sunrise. | am Il man in whose hands
are placed human lives. Mercy. Shall
neglect those lives to dance at your
bail. and whisper some civil words to
Miss Valerie Blair?'
The fair girlish face was little paler
as he ceased speaking; but Mercy only
put out her hand.
"Good-night, Cousin Godfrey was
all she said but he knew that she per-
mitted him to 90.
An hour afterwards, Valerie Blair
drew Mercy aside.
'Is it true that your cousin, DR..
Lamcr, declined an Introduction to me
to-night?' she asked, with u certain eX-
preston in her gray eyes which might
be either annoyance or pain. "Guy
JeTold told me he overheard it. Is
that true, Mercy?'
Not quite true as repeated to you,
fear was Mercy's soft answer; ''but
! he said YOU would not care to waste
ten minutes on him; and besides, a
child-one Of his patients-needed
him. You are not angry at Godfrey,
! Valerie? | so want you two to be
| friends.
Angry! no; but | fear that DR..
lamer aud | will never be friends. ]
| know him as an earnest noble man; he
/ thinks me but Il soulless butterfly; and
so It's best, perhaps.
With a light laugh she shook out her
white drapcries, and laid her hand on
| the arm of partner who had Just come
| for her
Meanwhile, the young physician had
4 taken a cab. and gone from the ball to
/ a far more humble part of the city;
! there he dismissed the cab and entered
a tenement, from an upper window OF
which light sent mild glow from
uncurtained paues.
With light, quick steps he mounted
/ the stairs-three flights of them; then,
tapping gently on door was adj
mitted to an abode of poverty and
/ misery.
In the corner Of the room q man lay
/ on u bed. ever and anon coughing,
with that horrible cough peculiar to
/ consumption. In a chair beside the
4 hre-fOr there was q iire-sat a pale
sad-eyed woman, holding an infant in
her arms, and rocking it gently.
At a glance, Dr. Lamer saw that
many changes had been wrought i'm
that pitiful home since he had crossed
its threshold last.
On the bed was a heavy quilt, quite
new; on the table were number Of
! paper parcels and some bottles Of Wine.
/ The chair In which the woman sat was
/ an easy-rocker and had entered there
! in his absence; about the baby was
1 wrapped a soft warm shawl
How is the little one, he asked
/ beudiug over it,
For answer the mother burst into
low but passionate sobs.
Dying dying, doctor" she said
! hoarsely, barring the small pinched
face on her bosom, that he might see
its ashen pallor
And he saw that she had told him
i the truth.
And You are all alone?" he said
p,tifulIy us there no friend-nu
woman who would stay here to-night?'
IL have no friend; l know nobody;
none are Kind To the poor. doctor
none bur beautiful gin who came like
an angel after YOU had gone. She was
ON her way TO a ball, but she stayed
here almost an hour, and said she
would come a-ain in the morning, She
sent me many things, but too
late loo Stt, Poor jack is worse. and
baby baby.
She moaucd ont tho word in such q
WY that Godfrey Lamers eyes grew
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